Questions

Synonyms
From the alternatives given, choose
the word which is nearest in meaning to the word
in bold.

1 Today the equivalent value of the United 5 The supporters were jubilant when
States dollar to the Trinidad and Tobago the match ended with a victory
dollar is $6.30. for their team.
A specific A keen
B financial B overjoyed
C total C pleased
D corresponding D cheerful

2 The continuous leaking of the water-taps 6 Since energy is a wasting asset, we

throughout the night caused an interruption should be concerned about
of the water supply. conserving it.
A frequent A retaining
B regular B saving
C intermittent C discovering
D incessant D protecting

3 After careful deliberation, the judge’s decision 7 We determined what our response
was unbiased because it was based on sufficient would be after we considered
evidence. everything thoroughly.
A final A stated
B lenient B decided
C impartial C discussed
D appropriate D announced

4 The principal initiated a new system of keeping 8 Crime is usually prevalent in

Records in his school. countries with extreme poverty
A arranged and unemployment.
B improved A current
C designed B accepted
D introduced C widespread
D predicted
Antonyms
From the alternatives given, select
the word which is opposite in meaning
to the word in bold in each sentence.

9 Roger is considered to be modest about 14 The spectators were criticised for their
his success in business. behaviour during the championship
A shy final.
B confident A praised
C traditional B flattered
D boastful C rewarded
D blamed
10 The distinguished novelist always
attempted to evade the press when 15 The witness was reluctant to give
he visited his native country. evidence in the case before the court.
A confront A restricted
B criticise B eager
C contact C willing
D recognise D quick

11 The janitor was noted for being meticulous 16 The teacher thought that the
in her job. students’ answers were pertinent to
A limited the questions asked.
B careless A relevant
C lazy B irrelevant
D incorrect C suitable
D decisive
12 Soon after the announcement was made on
the television crowds of villagers dispersed.
A mingled
B assembled
C conferred
D rallied

13 The patient’s health gradually deteriorated

after the operation.
A renewed
B improved
C increased
D altered Total: 40 marks
Spelling
In the following sentences one of the underlined word may be misspelt. Choose from the
three options, A, B, C, the word that is misspelt. If no word is misspelt, choose option D.

17 After embarrassing his colleague his concience bothered him and he eventually
apologized.
A embarrassing
B colleague
C concience
D No error

18 It is my privilege to give you some information concerning proper nutrition.

A privilege
B information
C nutrition
D No error

19 Whenever there is a food crises the people always experience shortages of basic
necessities.
A crises
B shortages
C necessities
D No error

20 The nurses were allotted seperate quarters because the main building did not have
enough rooms for them.
A allotted
B seperate
C enough
D No error

21 His intelligence rather than his hieght was the deciding factor when considering him
for the job.
A intelligence
B hieght
C deciding
D No error
Each sentence has either one or two
missing words. Choose from the four
options the word or pair of words which
BEST completes the meaning of the
sentence.

22 Despite his short-temper, his willingness to 26 To conceal his true activities, the
give of his wealth to help others to succeed spy quickly a plausible
led people to call him . excuse for his presence there.
A hasty A fabricated
B foolish B divulged
C benevolent C explained
D old fashioned D disguised

23 When parents display a for one child,

the others are likely to feel .
A fondness … lonely
B dislike … indifferent
C preference … jealous
D concern … angry

24 An attack on someone when that person is

most vulnerable may be but is
always .
A inappropriate …………. thoughtful
B rewarding …………….. satisfying
C destructive …………… distressing
D effective ………………… unkind

25 While the committee members

insults across the floor, the chairman
tried in vain to order.
A hurled …………. restore
B spoke ………….. impose
C gave …………… maintain
D exchanged …….. conserve
Read the following poem carefully
and then answer Items 27-36 on the
basis of what is stated or implied.
An Even Shape
Her garden looks in through my window
Criss-crossed by the white lattice.
Coolers they call them but they are also
Hiding places for small girls playing
5 Her garden stands neatly round her house
Travels politely unto the verandah
To sit in pots or hang
Leafily down from large; earth-coloured
Urns
10 She lives with Mama, shepherding her with
her full body
The hesitant ins and outs of Mama’s half-
blind days
Feeding her frail consciousness with edited
15 Gleaner news
And homemade chicken soup.
In her home, borrowed children touched her
china birds with hands
Wiped clean from eating sticky cakes, each
20 with a cherry on top
Or press moist, breathless kisses round
The corners of her smile.
Sometimes she fills the space out
With music. Spreading out nostalgia through
25 Strings and flutes, old-fashioned love songs
Of blue moons and forever until.
Shameful peeping Tom, I sit silent in
My lattice watching her even shape of her
days
30 To catch, just once, a wider open door
behind
Her steady eyes.
27 The phrase “Her garden looks” (line 1)
is an example of
A Simile
B Metaphor
C Sarcasm
D Personification
28 The garden seemed “criss-crossed”
(line 2) because the
A poet was looking at it through a lattice
window
B garden beds were laid out in squares
C children were walking across the
garden
D the person looking at the garden was
cross-eyed
29 Which of the following phrases is meant
to be taken literally?
A “Hiding places for small girls” (line 4)
B “Her garden …/ Travels politely unto
the verandah” (line 5-6)
C “Feeding her … with edited/Gleaner
news” (lines 14-15)
D “...watching the even shape of her
days” (lines 28-29)
30 “Her garden stands neatly round her
House” (line 5) tells us that
A there were several well-kept potted
plants on stands around her house
B several tall trees stood along the
side of the house
C the garden which surrounded the
house was well kept
D the woman cleaned the flower
stands every day
 But in her green edged privacy, self-con-
tained
35 She keeps the half-drawn shutters of her life
Open just so, and mocks my greed and rest-
lessness
With a calm refusal to be other than she
seems
Source unknown

31 The poet uses the words “frail consciousness”

(line 14) to show that Mama
A was unconscious most of the time
B was not understanding as well as she
used to
C had fainted because of lack of food
D was thin and weak and could hardly walk

32 Which of the following BEST describes the

woman’s extra thoughtfulness of her
mother?
A “She lives with Mama, shepherding her
with/ Her full body” (lines 10-11)
B “Press moist, breathless kisses” (line 21)
C “Feeding her … with edited Gleaner news”
(lines 14-15)
D “Spreading out nostalgia through Strings
and flutes” (lines 24-25)

33 The poet uses the phrase “borrowed children”

(line 17) to show
A how much she loved the children
B that she had no children of her own
C that she did not want children
D why she made the children wash their
dirty hands
Read the following passage carefully and then answer Items 37-44 on the basis of what is
stated or implied.
37 The writer uses “secret” (line 4) to
describe the gardens because
A they were hidden from view
B many treasures were concealed
there
C the occupants whispered there
D many people did not know of them
38 The word “procession” (line 5) indicates
that the crowd was
A going to a funeral
B moving in a long orderly group
C walking together like a mob
D moving about aimlessly
39 Which of the following statements is
NOT true about the beggars?
A They were inquisitive about people
B They knew about human nature
C They had a good relationship with the
doctor
D They knew everything that went on
around them
40 In the passage, the expression “great experts
in financial analysis” (lines 8-9) means that
the beggars
A could immediately determine the rich from
the poor
B could analyse the financial state of the
country
C were able to add their alms quickly
D had many years of experience in
begging
41 The description in paragraph 2 (lines 8-18)
conveys to the reader the impression of
A fear and hatred
B happiness and love
C harshness and poverty
42 According to the passage, “Kino
hesitated a moment” (line 26)
because he
A had to calm his anger and hatred
B was afraid to approach the doctor
C wondered whether he had enough
money
D wanted to kill the doctor with his
bare hands
43 In the passage, the sentence, “This
doctor was not of his people”
(line 26) suggests that the doctor
A did not respect Kino’s people
B did not understand Kino’s people
C was not born in the city as Kino
was
D came from a different background
from Kino’s
44 Which of the following is NOT
illustrated in the passage?
A The kindness of the beggars
B The curiosity of the city people
C The suffering of Juana and Kino
D The contrast between the rich and
the poor
Read the following passage carefully and then answer Items 45-51 on the basis of what is
stated or implied.
45 How was the issue of casinos
dealt with at the time mentioned?
A Casinos were not allowed
B Many casinos remained without
being monitored
C Most casinos remained while their
growth was monitored
D Some casino remained while their
growth was monitored
46 “Interestingly” (line 3) could BEST be
replaced by the word
A logically
B ironically
C thankfully
D conveniently
47 “given the green light to arcades”
(line 4) means that
A arcades have been given permission
to operate
B gambling is practised in the arcades
C people gamble day and night under
the light
D green coloured lights have been given
to the arcades
48 The Bahamas, Antigua, Suriname and Sint
Maarten are mentioned to
A list countries involved in tourism
B give evidence from experts on the
issue
C prove that gambling is a stimulus to
tourism
D highlight countries where gambling is
allowed
49 An expression the writer uses to
introduce an opposing view (line 16) is
A in addition
B for example
C like most things
D on the other hand
50 Which argument below is NOT used in
support of casino gambling?
A It degrades the values of society
B It can be beneficial if controlled
wisely
C It can be used as another tourist
attraction
D It is part of the everyday life of a
Caribbean individual
51 To what does “. . . that is the last thing
that we may need right now”
(lines 18-19) refer?
A “everything else that is happening in
our islands” (line 17)
B “an upsurge of gangs, drugs and
violent behaviour among our youth”
(lines 17-18)
C “cruise ships keeping casinos open
while docked on shore” (line 19)
D “they flock to the tracks to watch
horses run and bet millions annually”
(lines 21-22)
From the alternatives given, select
the word which is opposite in meaning
to the word or phrase in bold in each sentence.

1 We found her appreciative of the help

that was given to her on this matter.
A unhappy about
B displeased at
C ungrateful for
D intolerant of

2 While the employers approved of his

work habits, they objected to his
radical views.
A capitalist
B informed
C fashionable
D conservative

3 At the sound of the bell, the lower

forms went reluctantly back to
their classrooms
A willingly
B